Flood havoc across Sudan

August 23 - 2017SUDAN

A rickshaw makes its way through floods in Atbara in Sudan's River Nile state in May (File photo: RD correspondent)

Heavy downpours followed by flash floods have wreaked havoc across Sudan. Camps for the displaced have been hit exceptionally hard. The Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources has warned people to be cautious.

At least 200 houses and 300 cottages have collapsed or been seriously damaged at camp Murnei in West Darfur following heavy rains on Sunday.

One of the camp Sheikhs told Radio Dabanga that vast tracts of the camp have become uninhabitable.

He pointed out that there are more than 200 families affected, some of them are still in the open while a number of them have been hosted by other families.

He appealed to humanitarian organisations and authorities to expedite assistance.

North Darfur

In North Darfur final estimates show that 167 houses collapsed in floods that swept through Zamzam camp in the state capital of El Fasher on Monday.

One of the Sheikhs of camp Zamzam told Radio Dabanga “the final statistics show that 107 houses collapsed completely, while 60 houses were rendered uninhabitable. Some families are still without shelter, while some have been hosted by other families”.

He appealed to the governmental Humanitarian Aid Commission and humanitarian organisations to expedite their assistance.

South Darfur

At Kalma camp in Nyala, capital of South Darfur, at least 230 houses were destroyed on Sunday and Monday.

Saleh Eisa, the secretary-general of camp Kalma, told Radio Dabanga that a preliminary inventory revealed the complete collapse of 230 houses at Block 5 while the inventories continue in the other blocks.

He explained that there are hundreds of families in the open and appealed to humanitarian organisations to expedite the provision of food and other aid.

Northern State

In the Northern State, Delgo area saw torrential rains caused extensive damage to houses and public facilities at the beginning of this week.

Yon Monday, residents reported to Radio Dabanga that a preliminary estimate of the losses show the collapse of 18 houses at Shargafab and Malaga in Delgo locality, while 220 houses were partially damaged.

The floods also caused damage to 10 mosques, seven schools and two health centres.

Residents warned that 11 villages were affected by floods and rains.

Residents said one woman was injured by the rain and was taken to Khartoum for treatment, this in addition to the damageof thirty-six high-voltage and low-voltage poles.

People warned of an increased cholera outbreak in the area after the recent rains.

Sennar

In Sennar large segments of people of Singa and its suburbs have been affected by the floods that swept the shores of the Blue Nile during the past year and this year.

Yesterday residents of Singa told Radio Dabanga that the floods that have swept through the Blue Nile coasts during the past two years and the current caused complete damage to the banana plantations in the two banks of the Nile.

They pointed out that banana farms represent the first economic resource in the region that affects all sectors of farmers, traders and workers.

They pointed to the negative effects on the lives of the residents, especially with the steady increases in prices of goods in the market.

Khartoum

In Khartoum, dozens of houses along the agricultural road of Halafaya of Khartoum North drowned after the Nile flooded the western side of the agricultural road, resulting in the displacement of families and their stay in the open on both sides of the road.

The Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources warned of the rise in the level of Blue Nile during the next two days.

Yesterday the ministry said in a statement that the levels of the Blue Nile and the main Nile are witnessing a rise in Khartoum and north, where on Monday it reached the highest level in 100 years and exceeded the flood in 1946, reaching 17.14 metres in Khartoum, and expected to reach a higher level during the next two days.

The ministry called on the people on the banks of the Nile and its branches, especially in Khartoum to take more caution.